Sunderland v Man City (kick-off 1600 GMT)
Sunderland v Man City
Sunderland had a good win midweek, beating Bolton 4-0, to get the monkey off their back of not having won in 14 league matches. That was a great result for them and Darren Bent continued what has been an excellent goalscoring return for him this season. Confidence levels will undoubtedly have been raised amongst the Sunderland players as a result and I think this will be reflected in the performance and scoreline on Sunday.
This is a Manchester City team who never fully convince when they play away from home. Saying that, last time out they won 4-2 at Chelsea and have had a few days off to recover. However, they were poor in the first half and Roberto Mancini has yet to fully stamp his authority on the team. I don't think the results they have achieved under the Italian so far are any different from those they would probably have attained had Mark Hughes remained manager.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunderland ended their 14-match winless league run in midweek with a resounding 4-0 home victory against Bolton and how they needed it. A terrible sequence of results has seen the Black Cats slip from challenging for a European spot to facing the serious threat of a relegation battle. That win has given Steve Bruce a bit of breathing space but now they’ve finally won a match, I expect another good performance against Man City with that monkey finally off their backs.
The 4-0 win over Bolton was exactly what Sunderland needed; they kept a clean-sheet and scored plenty of goals. Prior to this, the Black Cats have kept two clean-sheets in their previous 14 games and had failed to net in four of their last six. Darren Bent grabbed a hat-trick which will have restored his confidence after scoring one goal in his previous six league games. Darren seems to enjoy playing against City as he has scored five goals in his last seven starts against them.
When you consider the quality Steve has assembled at the Stadium of Light it is hard to fathom why the team has performed so poorly in recent months. He has a decent squad and spent a fair amount of money in the summer but confidence is a massive factor in football and the longer a poor run continues, the more worried he must have been.
Sunderland have beaten the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal at home this season and although the wins have dried up, the Black Cats have not lost many in front of their home fans. However, they have drawn far too many games, including four of their last five at the Stadium of Light. For a team that boasts a quartet of strikers such as Bent, Kenwyne Jones, Benjani and Fraizer Campbell, Sunderland have struggled for goals both home and away. Until they struck 4 past Bolton, the Black Cats had not scored more than a single goal in each of their previous seven home matches and have now failed to score in three of the last six.
Manchester City returned spectacularly to form in their last match when they won 4-2 at Stamford Bridge ending Chelsea’s unbeaten home record. This also ended a 4-match run without a win in all competitions which has seen City relinquish 4th spot and crash out of the FA Cup. However, they’ve had a decent break between games now so should be fit and ready for this one. Roberto Mancini’s team are the only side to boast an unbeaten home league record this season but he has not been able to cure City’s travel sickness. The victory at Chelsea was only the Citizens 2nd away league win in 12 matches on the road and this record needs to improve if City are to finish 4th. Only Stoke have drawn more away games than City’s six, so a draw seems a likely result here. However, with confidence high and Sunderland having already played this week, I am backing City to pick up a massive three points on Premier 10.
The Citizens have a superb record against the Wearsiders. They’ve won each of the last 9 meetings including four successive away wins at Sunderland. City’s Craig Bellamy is likely to be centre of attention too for he is a former Newcastle player and has scored more goals against the Black Cats than any other team in the Premier League (6 goals). Therefore, with confidence high, I’m backing Bellamy and co to take the points at the Stadium of Light. With an estimated £30,000 jackpot to be won this weekend, who will you back?
Douglas Higginbottom wrote:"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "
I just love the blinkered blue view :)
zuricity wrote:Douglas Higginbottom wrote:"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "
I just love the blinkered blue view :)
Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?
Ted Hughes wrote:zuricity wrote:Douglas Higginbottom wrote:"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "
I just love the blinkered blue view :)
Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?
We were heading for a 0-4 until Tevez scored. We were very lucky to get the break of Tevez scoring as Lampard rarely misses the kind of chance he did 15 secs earlier. That would have been 2-0 & we'd've been in for a hammering. We were brilliant 2nd half, one of the best I've seen for years but West Ham are playing better now than we did in the 1st.
zuricity wrote:Ted Hughes wrote:zuricity wrote:Douglas Higginbottom wrote:"Poor in the first half. What b*ll*cks ! City played a brilliant , tactical containment game "
I just love the blinkered blue view :)
Like the humour doug, but I tell you if City were being pummeled in the first half I'd readily admit it and say so, but Chelsea were reduced to very few chances, because of tight marking, great defensive shape and concentration. It worked very well. What's wrong with complementing the team , or any other team on holding out at Chelsea until the game turns in their favour ?
We were heading for a 0-4 until Tevez scored. We were very lucky to get the break of Tevez scoring as Lampard rarely misses the kind of chance he did 15 secs earlier. That would have been 2-0 & we'd've been in for a hammering. We were brilliant 2nd half, one of the best I've seen for years but West Ham are playing better now than we did in the 1st.
And Bellamy ?
Mysteriously flagged for offside when clear on goal at 0-0 in the first twenty minutes !
WHU lost 4-1 today. I haven't seen the WHU Chelsea game. However if the BBC report is correct and what the Radio commentary said , Chelsea seemed to make light work of them...
I'm doing it myself, but it is dangerous to take only slices of information to make a argument.
My point is that City are not getting a fair press. City defended well against Chelsea and they never looked like scoring four goals against City. Sure they had chances, so too did City .
King Kev wrote:He contradicts himself more than Andrew Davies.
That he gets paid for his 'opinions' is laughable.
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